Mop and brush cleaning device



Jan. 19, 1960 G. J. CAMPBELL MOP AND BRUSH CLEANING DEVICE Filed Feb.18, 1957 f/Vl/E/VNOR 1. W.

MOP AND BRUSH CLEANING DEVICE Gregory J. Campbell, Freeport, 11].,assignor to William T. N eiman, Freeport, Ill.

Application February 18, 1957, Serial No. 640,853

4 Claims. (Cl. 15-142) This invention relates to a device for cleaningdust mops, brushes and the like.

The general object of this invention is to provide a device for usewithin the home for removing dust and lint from mops and brushes andwhich confines the refrom the open top of the receptacle to therebyprevent the escape of the dust through the open top.

A further object of this invention is to provide a mop cleaning deviceincluding a receptacle having mop cleaning racks therein arranged tocirculate and direct the flow of air through the bristles on the mop orbrush, as the latter is moved along the rack in the recptacle, toprovide improved cleaning of the mop or brush.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide a mop cleaning deviceof simple and economical construction and which may be readily assembledand disassembled for cleaning.

These, together with various ancillary objects and advantages of thisinvention will be more readily appreciated as the same becomes betterunderstood by reference to the following detailed description when takenin connection with the accompanying drawing wherein:

Figures 1 and 2 are transverse sectional views through the mop cleaningdevice and illustrating the operation of the latter in cleaning a mop;

Fig. 3 is a side elevational view of the mop cleaning device with theside of the receptacle broken away to illustrate details ofconstruction; and

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the cleaning device and illustrating themop therein.

Referring more specifically to the accompanying drawings, the mopcleaning device includes a receptacle having opposed side walls 10, endwalls 11 and a bottom wall 12. The receptacle is open at the top thereofand has a carrying handle or bail 13 attached by means of brackets 14 onthe end walls 11.

A pair of spaced mop cleaning racks 21 are disposed within thereceptacle, and, as shown in the drawings, each include a pair ofupstanding members 22 having a flange 22a thereon adapted to abutagainst the end walls 11. A plurality of horizontally disposed louvers24 are attached to, or formed integrally with the upstanding members 22on each rack, which louvers are inclined in a direction transverse totheir length to extend downwardly and inwardly of the receptacle, asbest shown in Figures 1 and 2. In the specific embodiment shown, thelouvers 24 are formed separate from the upstanding members 22 and havethe ends thereof bent to extend in a plane inclined to the plane of thelouvers, which ends are secured to the respective upstanding member 22,as by rivets 25. An imperforate panel 26 is provided United StatesPatent 2,921,325 Patented Jan. 19,

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adjacent the upper ends of each of the upstanding members 22 and, in thespecific form illustrated, the imperforate panel is formed separate fromthe upstanding members and rigidly secured to the latter as by fasteners27. The imperforate panel extends vertically upwardly from a pointspaced above the uppermost one of the louvers 2'4 and has a portion 28on the upper end thereof which extends outwardly and terminates in adownwardly extending flange 29. The outwardly extending portion 28 isarranged to span the space between the panel 26 and the side wall of thereceptacle and may conveniently be inclined upwardly and outwardly fromthe top of the respective panel, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, tofacilitate guiding-of the mop into the space between the racks 21. Thedepending flange 29 is arranged to engage the side wall 10 of thereceptacle to form a seal therewith and prevent the escape of dusttherebetween.

Panels 31 are provided adjacent the lower ends of the racks and extendbetween the upstanding members 22, which lower panels have an opening 32adjacent-the lower end thereof to permit the circulation of airtherethrough. The racks are slidable into and out of the receptacle andare maintained in proper spaced relation to each other by a plurality ofcross pieces 34, herein shown in the form of straps which extend betweenthe racks, at a point spaced above the bottom of the receptacle, tolimit downward movement of the mop. The cross pieces have U-shaped endportions 35 provided thereon adapted to receive the upper edge of thelower panel 31 and fasteners 36 extend through the U-shaped members andthrough the panel 31 to secure the straps 34 to the racks and therebymaintain the latter in proper spaced relation. As is apparent fromFigures 1 and 2, the flanges 22a on the upstanding members 22 extendoutwardly beyond the outer edges of the louvers 24 and thereby assurethat the outer edges of the louvers are spaced from the side walls ofthe receptacle, when the rack is assembled therein, to permit freecirculation of air between the louvers and the adjacent side walls ofthe receptacle. 1

In order to produce proper operation of the dust mop cleaning device, itis essential that the dimensions of the rnop be correlated with those ofthe cleaning device so that the length of the mop is substantially equalto the spacing between the end walls 11 of the receptacle and the widthof the mop is such as to be snugly received between the racks 21. Asbest shown in Figure 4, the mop head 41 substantially completely fillsthe space between the walls 11 and between the racks 21, as the mop ismovedupwardly and downwardly between the racks. In addition, the mophead 41 is preferably so formed that the bristles or thrums thereofextend generally in a direction transverse to the direction of movementof the mop in the cleaning device. A handle 43 is attached, as by acoiled ferrule 44, to the mop head,

It is thought that the operation of the device will be readilyunderstood by reference to Figures 1 and The mop head 41 'is insertedinto the cleaning device and is guided by the portions 28 to a positionbetween the racks 21. As the mop head 41 is moved downwardly, thebristles or thrums thereon engage the louvers 24 and are therebysubjected to a beating action which tends to loosen the dirt from thethrums.- In addition; since the rnop head substantially completely fillsthe space between the ends walls 11 of the receptacle and the racks 21,the air within the receptacle, between the racks and below the mop head,is displaced therefrom as the mop head is moved downwardly. Some of theair is forced outwardly between adjacent louvers and flows across thethrums or bristles of the mop to aid in cleaning the latter. is forceddownwardly and then passes upwardly through Some of the air below themop.

the flow' passage formed between theracks and the adjacent ones of theside walls 10. Since the louvers 24 are inclined downwardly andinwardly, the upwardly flowing stream of air and the dust carriedtherein is deflected bythe louvers toward the adjacent side wall of thereceptacle and is thereby effectively prevented from passinginto thespace between the racks and above the mophead 41. The air instead passesupwardly into the confined space defined by the imperforate top panel26, the outwardly extending portion 28, and the adjacent side wall ofthe receptacle.

Whenthe mop head 41 is thereafter moved upwardly, in the directionindicated by the arrow in Figure 2, the louvers are again effective toproduce a beating action on the-bristles of the mop. In addition, thereis a reduction in pressure belowthe mop head 41, and betweenthe racks21, as the mop head is moved upwardly. Air then passes downwardly in thepassages between the racks and the adjacent side walls and a portion ofthis air is deflected inwardly by the louvers to pass through thebristles of the mop 41, as indicated by the arrows in Figure 2. Thisflow of air through the bristles of a mop also aids in cleaning thesame. In order to thoroughly cleanthe mop, the latter is moved rapidlyupwardly and downwardly between the racks, a number of times, beforeremoving the mop from the cleaning device.

I claim:

=1. A dust mop cleaner comprising a receptacle having spaced side walls,opposed end walls, a bottom wall and an open top, a pair of verticallyextending mop cleaning racks disposed in said receptacle in spacedrelation to each other and in spaced relation to said side walls, saidracks extending between said end walls and each including a plurality ofvertically spaced horizontally extending louvers each inclined in adirection transverse to the length thereof to extend downwardly andinwardly of the receptacle, the inner edges of said louvers being spacedapart to snugly receive a mop therebetween whereby theair between theracks and below the mop is alternately forced outwardly from between theracks and then drawn inwardly as the mop is moved downwardly andupwardly between the racks, the outer edges of said louvers being spacedfrom the adjacent side walls an appreciable distance to provide a flowpassage therebetween to permit the air which is forced outwardly frombetween the racks, as the mop is pushed downwardly, to pass upwardlybetween the racks and the adjacent one of the side walls and to permitair to pass downwardly into the space below the mop as the latter ismoved upwardly, said louvers being operative to deflect the upwardlyflowing air toward the adjacent side wall and to deflect the downwardlyflowing air through the tufts of the mop to aid in cleaning the same,said racks each including an imperforate panel extending between the endwalls of the receptacle adjacent the upper end of each rack and inspaced relation to the adjacent side walls of the receptacle, and meansextending between theupper edges of said imperforate panels and theadjacent side walls to seal the space .therebetween.

2. A dust mop cleaner comprising a receptacle having spaced side walls,opposed end walls, a bottom wall andnan open top, a pair of verticallyextending mop cleaning racks removably disposed in said receptacle, saidracks extending between said end walls and each including a plurality.of vertically spaced horizontally extending louvers each inclined in adirection transverse to the length thereof to extend downwardly andinwardly of the receptacle, said racks having vertically disposedflanges on opposite ends thereof extending in a direction transverselyto said racks into engagement with the side walls of the receptacle tomaintain the outer edges of said louvers on the racks spaced from saidside walls an appreciable distance sufiicient to provide an open aircirculating passage therebetween, cross members attached to said racksabove the bottom of said receptacle and extending between said racks tomaintain said racks in spaced relation to each other, and means defininga closure between the upper ends of said rack and the adjacent side wallof said receptacle.

3. A dust mop cleaner comprising a receptacle having spaced side walls,opposed end walls, a bottom wall and an open top, a pair of verticallyextending mop cleaning racks removably disposed in said receptacle, saidracks extending between said end walls and each including a plurality ofvertically spaced horizontally extending louvers each inclined in adirection transverse the length thereof to extend downwardly andinwardly of the receptacle, said racks having vertically disposedflanges on.opposite ends thereof extending in a direction transverselyto said racks into engagement with the side walls of the receptacle tomaintain the outer edges of the louvers on the racks spaced from saidside walls an appreciable distance suificient to provide an open aircirculating passage therebetween, cross members attached to said racksabove the bottom of said receptacle and extending between said racks tomaintain said racks in spaced relation to each other, an irnperforatepanel extending between the flanges on each of said racks adjacent theupper ends of said racks, said panels being spaced from the adjacentside wall of said receptacle, and a top flange on each of said racksextending between the upper edge of each panel and the adjacent sidewall of the receptacle to seal the space therebetween.

4. A dust mop cleaner comprising a receptacle having spaced side walls,end walls, a bottom wall and an open top, a pair of vertically disposedirnperforate panels in said receptacle adjacent the top thereof, saidpanels being spaced from the adjacent side walls and from each other toreceive a mop head therebetween, means extending between the upper edgesof said panels and said side walls to close the space therebetween, aset of vertically spaced horizontally extending louvers disposed beloweach of said panels with each louver inclined in a direction transverseto the length thereof to extend downwardly and inwardly of thereceptacle, the outer edges of each of the louvers being spaced from theadjacent side walls of the receptacle to define a passage therebetweento permit free circulation of air between the louvers and the adjacentside walls as a mop head is moved alternately upwardly and downwardly inthe space between the sets of louvers.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,768,277 White June 24, 1930 1,804,229 Powell May 5, 1931 2,437,340Zugehoer Mar. 9, 1948 2,566,408 Goldberg Sept. 4, 1951 2,712,666 CopemanJuly 12, 1955

